MLB Draft: Day 3 Discussion

[Seth Stohs]

Today is the final day of the 2012 MLB Draft. Teams will make their choices in Rounds 16 through 40 today. This is where the really good scouts show their stuff. The Twins have had a lot of success stories in the late rounds. Can they find another one today?

[J-Dog Dungan]

I think this is where the Twins truly show why they were considered for the team to be featured in Moneyball, because they have done so well drafting in the later rounds, and have proven that there is a point to having these late rounds.

[Shane Wahl]

How on earth were the Twins considered to featured in Moneyball? This organization is notorious for ignoring statistics in favor of "seeing-eye" scouting.

[gunnarthor]

How on earth were the Twins considered to featured in Moneyball? This organization is notorious for ignoring statistics in favor of "seeing-eye" scouting.

The author of Moneyball was going to write a story about how small market teams were competing. He narrowed it down to A's and Twins, Twins and Ryan were actually his first choice. I don't remember what happened to change that - A's offered more access? - but he decided to write about the A's instead. Rest is history.

[nicksaviking]

The Twins did not want to be part of the book from what I've heard. Obviously the Twins version would not have been called "Moneyball" probably something like "Smallball." But the big question is, would Brad Pitt really have been able to play Terry Ryan? He would have had to go pre-teen Benjamin Button to pull that one off.

[Shane Wahl]

I did not actually know that. I did not read the book, obviously. I had just assumed that it was orignally setup to be a book about the exact way the A's maximized on their payroll issues, by relying on statistics (OBP, mainly) instead of "the sound of the bat" kind of scouting. Interesting.

 

They would have had to cast Ed Harris as Terry Ryan.

[glanzer]

Jonah Hill likely would have stayed on to play Bill Smith.

[Mike Sixel]

This could be interesting, or not. Given that all these guys can sign for is $100K, I'm guessing a lot of HS kids and their parents will be deciding between $50K-$100K, and going to college. I'd probably choose college, much more likely path to a future. OTOH, there is plenty of time for that, and why not roll the dice on a 2-3 years of playing baseball for a living (and then going to college later, if you need to).

[James]

This could be interesting, or not. Given that all these guys can sign for is $100K, I'm guessing a lot of HS kids and their parents will be deciding between $50K-$100K, and going to college. I'd probably choose college, much more likely path to a future. OTOH, there is plenty of time for that, and why not roll the dice on a 2-3 years of playing baseball for a living (and then going to college later, if you need to).

Well, if you're playing college ball, the college is likely free or cheaper if you have a scholarship, depending on the school you go to, and there is potential for you to get drafted higher in a few years.

[James]

Uh oh. The Twins just drafted another Hicks. Dalton Hicks, 1B a junior from Central Florida. Let the confusion begin!

[Mike Sixel]

Well, if you're playing college ball, the college is likely free or cheaper if you have a scholarship, depending on the school you go to, and there is potential for you to get drafted higher in a few years.

Good point, I'd choose college on a scholarship over minor league baseball any day.....but then, I'm not potential professional athlete either.

[nicksaviking]

There are plenty of these kids that have no intention of going to college though. Some know they wouldn't make the grades, others just want to play baseball no matter what the pay. There will be many players who have told scouts they are planning to go to college to try to leverage a better draft position and slot but were never seriously considering school.

[nicksaviking]

I did a google search for Dalton Hicks. He was on the MaxPreps 2008 all-american team. Not too significant but also on the list was Danny Hultzen, Garrett Cole, Kyle Skipworth, Eric Hosmer, Tim Beckham, Casey Kelly, Matt Hogood and the Twins very own BJ Hermson and Aaron Hicks. Some pretty impressive company, so if he's still any good he'll probably be going back for his SR year.

[nicksaviking]

I see the Orioles just drafted a 1B from a Maryland HS named Ryan Ripken. Might be some nepotism going on here!

[James]

I see the Orioles just drafted a 1B from a Maryland HS named Ryan Ripken. Might be some nepotism going on here!

No! That sort of thing doesn't happen in the MLB draft!!!!!!!

[old nurse]

Good point, I'd choose college on a scholarship over minor league baseball any day.....but then, I'm not potential professional athlete either.

There is the MLB tuition program that they can negotiate in their first contract. Given that schools only have on average 12 scholarships to divide between the players it might be more profitable to negotiate with a team for the max bonus with max scholarship money. One would hope that the teams would be smart enough to have people motivated and organized. I know, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary.

[J-Dog Dungan]

How on earth were the Twins considered to featured in Moneyball? This organization is notorious for ignoring statistics in favor of "seeing-eye" scouting.

Back when the events in Moneyball took place, the Twins won a lot of games with one of the smallest payrolls in the game. That was also the year of the Twins becoming relevant to the AL Central again.

[Mr. Ed]

Round 21 TTech Catcher Bo Altobelli

Round 22 Oregon HS catcher Joshua Graham

Round 23 U/Nebraska P Travis Huber

[alarp33]

Moneyball followed the 2002 Oakland A's, so it was obviously determined before hand which team to follow. In the 3 years leading up to the book, the A's won; 87, 91 and 102 games. The Twins won; 63, 69 and 85.

[ashbury]

Yankees just drafted Vincent Jackson. Hope for their sake they don't think they're getting Bo.

[James]

Moneyball followed the 2002 Oakland A's, so it was obviously determined before hand which team to follow. In the 3 years leading up to the book, the A's won; 87, 91 and 102 games. The Twins won; 63, 69 and 85.

True. But he was looking at the money spent per win. He originally wan't going to follow a team, he was just going to write about the economics of baseball (the author is not a baseball guy, his other books tend to deal with wall street). The Twins actually are mentioned in the book as having the second lowest dollar amount per win (obviously not true any more).

 

On an actual draft note, the Twins seem to be going very catcher heavy in rounds 21-24. 4 picks, 3 catchers.

[nicksaviking]

Three of the last four picks for the Twins are catchers. Certainly these guys wont make it, but the slew of new arms are going to need someone to catch them.

[ashbury]

Twins are going more for position players today, overall.

[nicksaviking]

The White Sox just picked a 6'7" pitcher named Storm Throne. He's a junior so hopefully he's going back to school, because that's way to cool of a name to go to the White Sox.

[James]

The White Sox just picked a 6'7" pitcher named Storm Throne. He's a junior so hopefully he's going back to school, because that's way to cool of a name to go to the White Sox.

Agreed. Luckily, his signing bonus is probably under $100K at this point, which may have him decide to go back to school for another year.

[Mr. Ed]

Round 26 Justin Jones LHP Cal

[ashbury]

Round 26 Justin Jones LHP Cal

He's no Storm Throne.

[James]

Is it immature of me to chuckle when I see that the Pirates have just drafted a guy whose name is Jimmy Rider?

[ashbury]

Is it immature of me to chuckle when I see that the Pirates have just drafted a guy whose name is Jimmy Rider?

He should go by Storm.

[nicksaviking]

This Justin Jones is a left handed pitcher, same as the Justin Jones the Twins got for Doug Mientkiewicz. Dougie should have been able to fetch a little more than that guy. Never got above AA ball.